[D.CAMP Batch Inside] ROAS Finds ‘Scale-up Formula’ for AI Acoustic Diagnostics

[Editor’s Note] One year has passed since D.CAMP, the Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs, announced its “Vision 2.0.” The D.CAMP Batch program, considered one of the core pillars of this new vision, has now produced graduates from its second cohort.

Selected through an even more competitive ratio of 69:1 compared to the first cohort, these graduating startups established foundations for business advancement and the next stage of growth through residential workspace support, dedicated mentoring, and network connections.

The Bell takes a closer look at the journey of the second cohort graduates of the D.CAMP Batch program and the changes they have achieved over the past year.

This article was published on the paid page of The Bell on May 4, 2026, at 09:16.

LOAS, an AI acoustic diagnostic company, reorganized its scale-up strategy through the D.CAMP Batch program operated by the Banks Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs. While the company initially focused on production-line quality inspection automation solutions, it has recently been expanding into industrial facility diagnostic platforms integrating robots and drones.

Through the program, LOAS was paired with Hwang Hee-cheol, Managing Director of the VC Investment Group at Hanwha Asset Management, as its dedicated mentor. Hwang, who accumulated industrial experience through founding a drone company and working at a defense industry company, as well as deep-tech investment experience at Bluepoint Partners, worked closely with LOAS to review both its technology and business direction.

The core focus of the mentoring was not merely the technology itself, but identifying a structure capable of scalable growth. LOAS plans to reorganize its operational structure, select repeatable and expandable business cases from among various projects, and accelerate full-scale revenue growth and global expansion this year.

◇ Challenge: Securing a Scalable Structure After Technical Validation

LOAS is an AI acoustic diagnostic solution company founded in 2020. Based on its proprietary AI acoustic detection, tracking, and inspection software engine “AI Square,” the company developed the intelligent acoustic inspection system SMART and the unmanned facility diagnostic integrated monitoring platform ARQOS.

Its initial business model focused on automating quality inspections on manufacturing production lines. Traditionally, workers manually listened to product sounds to determine abnormalities. However, this method had limitations because inspection results could vary depending on worker skill level and fatigue, and detecting subtle abnormal sounds was extremely difficult in noisy industrial environments.

LOAS addressed this challenge through AI-based acoustic visualization technology. The system automatically identifies abnormal sounds, leaks, and electrical noise by tracking sounds generated from specific objects even in noisy environments. Jaehyun Lee explained, “It is a technology that selectively isolates only the necessary sounds even in environments where multiple noises are mixed together,” adding, “We focused on automating inspections that previously relied entirely on human hearing.”

LOAS has already secured references centered around LG Electronics production lines and is expanding its applications into automotive component sectors including Hyundai Transys. However, once the technology itself had been validated, new challenges emerged. As the number of customers and projects increased, the company faced strategic questions regarding what to prioritize, what to abandon, and how to structure the organization for faster growth.

◇ Mentoring: Redefining Organization and Business Strategy Through Focus and Prioritization

These concerns became one of the key reasons LOAS joined the D.CAMP Batch program. Following D.CAMP’s direct investment, LOAS was introduced to the Batch program and decided to participate, believing it would provide valuable guidance and feedback necessary for the company’s growth stage.

Mentor matching was conducted based on mutual preferences. After reviewing LOAS’s technology and market potential, Hwang Hee-cheol, Managing Director of the VC Investment Group at Hanwha Asset Management, became LOAS’s dedicated mentor.

Hwang previously founded a drone company and worked in the defense sector at Hanwha. Later, at Bluepoint Partners, he oversaw investments in deep-tech startups and reviewed numerous companies across sensors, control systems, robotics, and system integration.

Hwang stated, “The role of mentoring is pruning and shifting perspectives,” adding, “As technology companies gain more things they want to do and are capable of doing, their focus can actually become weaker. At that point, a mentor’s role is to trim unnecessary branches and help the CEO view the company from a different perspective.”

Concrete organizational changes began from operational restructuring. Previously, LOAS operated with separate divisions for sales, field technical support, and technical documentation/material production. While each function had clear responsibilities, collaboration burdens inevitably increased from both customer response and business development perspectives.

Hwang redefined this not as a simple manpower issue, but as a matter of organizational structure and management strategy.

Following the mentoring process, LOAS integrated related functions into a broader business organization structure. Lee stated, “At first, I believed organizations should become more specialized and segmented, but I was advised that smaller organizations operate more efficiently when similar roles are grouped into larger units.” He added, “We applied that advice in practice and still maintain that structure today.”

The business strategy also became more focused and selective. Hwang advised, “Deep-tech companies often experience long lead times before customer responses appear. If you wait until results come out before changing direction, it’s already too late. You must abandon what is unnecessary and focus on building the best scalable business cases.”

◇ Achievements and Future Goals: Advancing ARQOS and Targeting KRW 5 Billion in Revenue This Year

LOAS is currently expanding its AI acoustic diagnostic technology from production-line inspections into industrial facility diagnostics. By combining AI Square with robots and drones, the company can detect abnormal sounds, leaks, and electrical noise in facilities difficult for humans to access.

Its flagship solution is ARQOS. ARQOS is a platform that integrates acoustic, visual, and thermal AI diagnostics with robot and drone control as well as digital twin-based monitoring. While conventional systems separated acoustic diagnostics, CCTV, measurement systems, and robot controls, LOAS aims to unify them into a single connected workflow.

The company’s achievements are also becoming increasingly visible. LOAS commercialized a drone-based facility diagnostic system and applied its monitoring platform at industrial sites including EcoPro BM. Deployment across domestic and overseas LG Electronics production lines continues expanding, while new projects are underway in additional sectors such as automotive seat inspection systems.

Lee evaluated that the company’s business direction became significantly clearer after participating in the Batch program. He stated, “As the thoughts that had been mixed together in my mind became organized, our business model also became much more solid.” He added, “This year, our pipeline has expanded significantly, and some projects are already converting directly into revenue.”

LOAS is aiming to achieve both break-even point (BEP) profitability and revenue growth this year. The company currently expects approximately KRW 3.6 billion in revenue and is targeting KRW 5 billion in annual revenue through additional orders during the second half of the year. LOAS also plans to prepare for its next investment round later this year.

Hwang expressed hope that LOAS could become a representative example of global expansion among Korean deep-tech startups. He stated, “Technology companies with real products always have the potential to expand globally, but building a business where overseas revenue becomes the core is an entirely different challenge.” He added, “I hope LOAS becomes a company that demonstrates that turning point.”

Source: The Bell

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